Compress PDF for free
We shrink a PDF by compressing the photos and scans inside it, while text stays real, selectable text. For email, online applications and websites with size limits. Up to 3 files at a time, nothing is uploaded to a server.
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How to compress a PDF
- Drop up to 3 PDFs, up to 300 MB each.
- Pick the level: Light, Medium, Strong or Maximum.
- Click Compress PDF and download the result.
What each level does
- Light: photos inside look almost the same; good for printing.
- Medium: for email and websites, usually no visible difference.
- Strong: scans stay readable, the file gets much smaller.
- Maximum: every page becomes a 120 dpi image. Smallest file, but text can no longer be selected.
Text stays text
On the first three levels we only recompress the photos and scans inside the PDF. Text, fonts and vector graphics are untouched, so they stay selectable and searchable. If a file is already compressed and can't get smaller, we give it back as it was instead of a bloated copy.
Need to get under a portal's limit? See how to compress a PDF to 1 MB. In our own test, a 12.3 MB scan went down to 0.7 MB.
Limits
Free: up to 3 files at a time, no daily limit. Pro Photo: up to 50 files at a time. The PDF is never uploaded.
FAQ
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on what's inside. Scans and photos shrink several times over; a text-only PDF barely changes because there's little to compress.
Will the text get blurry?
No. On Light, Medium and Strong the text isn't touched. Only Maximum turns pages into images.
Can I compress to an exact size?
There's no exact target, but there are 4 levels. Start with Medium; if it's not enough, try Strong.
Is there a watermark?
No.